The Power of Self-Awareness as You Lead
Written by Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez
Did you know that every single person on earth is a leader? A leader is someone who leads people or projects and we all do that in some way in our lives. And because of this truth – it’s important to know both the impact and power we have as leaders. Historically, we have seen how leaders have made both positive impacts on the people they’ve led and also negative or evil impacts on those they’ve led. We get to make a choice daily which kind of leader we will be, and that choice won’t really be based on the kind of person we are but instead on the level of self-awareness we have.
Self-awareness is a tool used in life to better serve others and grow within ourselves. When we’re self-aware we are less likely to project our feelings and thoughts onto others, we are more likely to communicate with people in the way they’d be most receptive to, we show up in spaces with an understanding of the environment and tone, and we lead from a place of empathy and confidence.
So leading with self-awareness generates better results because we treat people with more understanding, we look at tasks with a bigger picture in mind, and we take people on a path toward reasonable and healthy success. Self-awareness in a person, especially in a leader, can prevent burnout, lower insecurity, and avoid mediocre or unhelpful results.
Here are some practical examples of what self-awareness can look like in different settings – such as churches, offices, large organizations, start-ups, or community centers:
Read the room
We are living in a pandemic on top of all the other hard things that occur on a daily basis for people. You can have things planned as a leader but be aware of what’s happening in the world and how it may be affecting not only you but also others. Create spaces and opportunities for people to take breaks or work differently during seasons when the world is in pain or when they are going through something personal in their lives. It shows you care and are self-aware.
Avoid managing and always choose leading
People weren’t created to be managed. We manage our time, tasks, and to-do lists but not people. People should be led with grace and knowledge. They should be led toward success and growth. Trying to manage people will keep them feeling stuck and like they are something to control versus someone to compassionately lift up, whether personally or professionally.
Delegate and direct with purpose
When we are self-aware, then we are more likely to see the bigger picture of things and can direct people with the purpose of the project in mind. When we say “this could have been handled with an email” during a meeting, we are often implying that the person who scheduled that meeting perhaps didn’t have the self-awareness to recognize the most effective purpose of the space and people’s time. Valuing people’s time and skills comes with knowing the purpose behind what you’re all ultimately doing and directing people according to that purpose.
Self-aware leaders take people to levels in their lives that others likely couldn’t. That’s the power that a self-aware leader and person has: Power to contribute positively to the personal and professional growth of another; Power to add healthy and impactful approaches to leadership in the world; Power to serve people and the purpose of a project with intention.
A leader without self-awareness is someone without direction, understanding, and empathy. Choosing this leadership approach is dangerous because we have seen how that has played out in history from politics to pulpits. But choosing the path of self-awareness as a leader won’t just take you far, it’ll bring everyone else along with you to that elevated place of success too.
How do you become self-aware? Reflect, go to therapy or counseling, engage in honest conversations with your staff and with other leaders, be willing to apologize, choose humility, pray, and take a mental and emotional inventory of yourself every few months. Becoming self-aware takes work and becoming a leader who’s self-aware does too, but it has an eternal impact on your immediate surroundings and the world.
Related Resources
Leading from a Healthy Soul
Ever needed to catch your breath because you were thrust into a leadership role and didn't seem to have a clue on how to go about it? Your uneasiness might have come from an unforeseen resignation from a leader directly above you, causing the urgent need for you to...
22 Things Leaders Need to Say to Co-Founders and Employees When Things Just Ain’t Working Out
Let’s face it. As entrepreneurs, sometimes things just don’t work out according to plan. The product launch got bungled; the best two developers just got nabbed by the competition; a prospective investor backed out at the last minute leaving others with cold feet,...
7 Ways to Build Morale on Your Team
We’ve all seen those TikTok videos that jokingly share about poor work environments. They’re your perfect dose of comradery and laughter to soothe the souls of those struggling (check this video out). It’s interesting (and might I say, telling) how we hear more about...
